When you’re still talking about the Oscars weeks after the ceremony, typically it’s not because we’re shocked about winners and snubs. No, when the discussion keeps going it’s because of some sort of flub or misstep by the show that caused a bit of controversy. (We all remember the “Moonlight” fiasco, for example.) And in 2021, the Oscars will be remembered for its strange setting and editing (taking advantage of a new location and the smaller crowd due to the pandemic), as well as the big decision to give out Best Picture before the Best Actress and Best Actor awards. But for Oscars producer Steven Soderbergh, the most controversial choice didn’t seem like much of a choice at all.
Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, Soderbergh talked about the big decision to move the Best Picture award presentation to earlier in the telecast and ending with Best Actress/Actor. Obviously, many assumed the decision was driven by the desire to have Chadwick Boseman win the final award of the night. But according to Soderbergh, the decision was made well before nominations were even announced due to the desire for a more entertaining ending.
“That was something we were going to do well before the nominations came out — we talked about that in January,” said Soderbergh. “It’s our belief — that I think is not unfounded — that actors’ speeches tend to be more dramatic than producers’ speeches. And so we thought it might be fun to mix it up, especially if people didn’t know that was coming. So that was always part of the plan. And then when the nominations came out and there was even the possibility that Chadwick could win posthumously, our feeling was if he were to win and his widow were to speak on his behalf, there would be nowhere to go after that. So we stuck with it.”
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Of course, when it was clear that the Oscars telecast would end with Best Actor, many assumed it was because Soderbergh and his producing partners thought ending with Chadwick Boseman winning a posthumous award would have been emotional. Now, that didn’t actually happen as Anthony Hopkins took home the final award and wasn’t awake to deliver a speech, but it’s a decision that Soderbergh defends and thinks was his only option.
“So it wasn’t like we assumed [Boseman would win], but if there was even a possibility that it would happen, then you have to account for that,” he said. “That would have been such a shattering moment, that to come back after that would have been just impossible.”
READ MORE: Anthony Hopkins Pays Tribute To Chadwick Boseman In His Belated Oscars Acceptance Speech
If there is any question about the way the Oscars are planned, with producers not knowing the winners beforehand, it’s clear by this year’s telecast that they’re just as in the dark as the rest of us. Because, judging by Soderbergh’s comments, if he wanted to end with the biggest bang, there’s no way he would have allowed the final award to be presented without an acceptance speech.
So, presumably, if next year is back to “normal,” it’ll be interesting to see if there are any of the changes that Soderbergh and his partners brought to the telecast that will continue over. It’s safe to say Best Picture will definitely be the final award of the evening, however.
